John Sayah

Work experience

20062008

Managing Partner

Executive Management Consulting

Engaged in independent consulting ventures in the areas of business solution architecture and industry solution diligence. Founded Expanion Advisors to advise regional Middle-East organizations on business transformation and growth management.

Established a streamlined consulting methodology based on targeted evaluations. Reduced complex business solution development to a clearly defined incremental approach suited for modernizing mid-size companies and growing businesses using cost-efficient modern information technology methods.

Developed comprehensive plans in 2006 for an “Industrial Solutions Institute of Lebanon” and in 2007 for a “Business Solutions Management” program for local institutions to address practical university education and regional executive management needs..

Developed the vision for an Extended Business Collaboration approach based on Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) and Web Services for flexible business-to-business (B2B) interactions. Guided the process of filing 7 patents for key related methods and implementation blue-prints.

Marketed business collaboration solutions based on the foundation intellectual property portfolio. Led several teams to deploy prototypes at key accounts in the Asia-Pacific region. Influenced over $10M of new business for Value and Supply Chain Management and B2B Hub solutions.

Led the development of insurance business transformation strategy from silo-ed proprietary application architectures and implementations to SOA-based integration, resulting in several industry partnerships and an IBM intellectual property donation to the ACORD standard organization.

19972003

Directed a 3-level solution organization - with an annual budget of $14M - that developed emerging opportunities and industry partnerships for B2B integration offerings.

Led a team, of Software Group and IBM Research team using a Web Services-based approach, to develop initial B2B functions addressing a market shift from proprietary transaction systems to Internet-based solutions. Delivered a wide range of initial customer installations.

Directed, after the collapse of the Internet startups market, a seamless transition and the expansion of a large organization that worked previously with internet startups to one engaging in B2B emerging business opportunities. Signed $7M of services contracts for early solution adopters.

Built and managed the NetGen Advanced Project group, an organization with an annual budget of $10M. Managed worldwide early strategic customer acquisitions for total IBM solutions.

Built a war-room organization providing one-stop-shop business development for Internet startups. Developed a customer acquisition methodology through equity investment and other forms of in-kind services to establish beachheads in strategic accounts. Exceeded 5 complex deal signings per month.

Recruited more than 60 service consultants. The team enabled and supported key marketplace and telecommunication engagements resulting in contract signings of more than $100M worldwide. Successfully delivered $15M of billable services in the US.

Managed product development for Internet Service Provider (ISP) platform and led teams in the US, France, Brazil and Japan supporting customer engagements worldwide.

Managed the acquisition of Prodigy ISP software and the integration of several ISV offerings for subscription, mail, billing and provider applications. Transformed service assets into a program product enabling worldwide sales for Internet subscription management software and services.

Architected and led the transformation of service functions from a legacy implementation to open technologies-based toolkits forming the Tivoli Subscription Manager (now WebSphere EveryPlace) to help ISPs build service offerings and enable the first release of wireless services extensions.

Managed and delivered successfully over $20M of service engagement contracts in the US.

19841998

Academic Experience

Held several teaching and academic research positions including assistant and adjunct professor positions in Computer Sciences and Computer Engineering at several universities in the US.

19891997

IBM

Recognized authority in design automation for VLSI chips and the lead architect for a team of 40 software engineers and scientists. Principal designer and development manager of the IBM ChipBench and the Hierarchical Design Planner products for automated physical chip designs.

IT Solution Integration Services

Program Management

Large program management, multi-level and matrix organization, cross-geography, teaming, partnership and alliance management.

Business Development and IT Strategy Management

Manage business and solution strategy and bridge to information technology and implementation components. Navigate white space in pursuit of business opportunities and establish offering strategy, business development program and solution architecture. Creative management of business solution development, integration, modernization and transformation programs.

Portfolio

Example Publications

IBM Micro News

IBM Journal of Research and Development

Decision Support Systems

IEEE Transactions on Computers

Sample Inventions

US Patent 7,114,146

US Patent 5,533,148

US Patent 5,793,641

Patent Portfolio

Enabling Business Integration and Collaboration

Keynote address at the Fourth IEEE International Workshop on Advanced Issues of E-Commerce and Web-Based Information Systems(Presentation abstract)

Objective

VP/Director of Strategy or Strategic Programs

VP/Director of Solution Development and Services

Executive Director, (at a Non-Profit - Professional or Trade Association.)